Ni Yulan

For the last 15 years, at the cost of her legal career and the use of her legs, Ni Yulan has fought to protect the legal rights of average citizens and promote the rule of law in China. A business lawyer, Ms. Ni began defending the property rights of citizens whose homes had been slated for demolition to make way for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. For her outspokenness, she has been arrested and imprisoned twice, sentenced to hard labor, and beaten to the point of paralysis. Despite continued threats and harassment by police, Ms. Ni remains undaunted in defending the rights of her fellow citizens, filing lawsuits against public security officials and connecting lawyers and activists across China to advance the cause of human rights and the rule of law.